Box-hinging machine.



H. B'. SMITH. BOX HINGIN G MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1914.

1,166,016. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

FI ZL wi/bueomw COLUMBIA PLANOHRAPH cu.. vv'ACHlNuTuH. D. c.

H. B. SMITH.

BOX HINGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1914.

1,166,016. I Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAIM cO.. WASHINGTON, n, c.

B. SMITH. BOX HINGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 19M.

4 Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

cowamm PLANQGRAMI conw/xsnms'rorl, D. c.

H. B. SMITH.

BOX HINGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1914.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

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HARRY BRIDGIVIAN SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STOKES 82; SMITH COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

BOX-HINGING MACHINE,

Application filed June 6, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Box-Hinging Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for hinging box lids to boxes, and is designed for use particularly in hinging to boxes lids having but three depending sides which close over the mouth of the box, the fourth or rear side having the hinge strip projecting therefrom which is folded over the rear side of the box and secured thereto by an adhesive.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism for hinging lids to boxes .made of paper board, said hinge being formed of a portionof the box cover blank which projects from one side of said lid and is pressed against a side of the box to cause the adhesive substance on said projecting portion to adhere to said box side.

The mechanism comprises a means for holding the box and the lid in proper relation to each other with the hinged flap of the lid extending over a side of the box, and a pressing plate adapted to bear upon said flap and secure it firmly on the box side, said flap being coated with an adhesive material to cause it to adhere to the box. In practice the lids come directly from the covering machines with the adhesive material thereon still in a moist condition, thus rendering a second application of adhesive unnecessary. The hinged flap may be substantially as long as the width of the box side, or it may be longer and project beyond the bot tom thereof and be folded beneath said bot tom simultaneously with the descent of the presser plate. Furthermore, means may be provided to press inwardly the sides of the lid adjacent the hinge to counteract the natural tendency of such sides to spread outwardly. The inward pressure thus applied causes said. sides when the hinging operation is complete to stand perpendicular to the top of the lid and hug the sides of the box.

The machine is readily adjustable to boxes of various sizes both as to length and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Serial No. 843,457.

breadth and also depth. The parts are few and simple, and the operating mechanism free of complication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation viewed in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4: and 5 are detail views of the driving mechanism. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the box lid support. Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the box and its lid showing two steps in the process of hinging the lid to the box. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a finished box. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modification of the box hinge.

In the drawings, indicates a horizontal bed plate supported upon legs 16 that extend to the floor. Fastened on the top of the bed plate is a horizontal guide-way 17 in which are mounted the lower ends of two upright frames 18 that are arranged to slide to and from each other in said guide-way when the machine is to be adjusted for boxes varying in size. These frames are moved by turning a shaft 19 carried in bearings 20 and provided with a right and left screw-thread 21 and 22 each of which engages a threaded opening in one of the frames 18. Removably secured on one side of each of the frames 18 is a vertical block 23 the length of which is equal to the length of the interior of the box upon which the lid is to be hinged and of a thickness equal to the depth of said box. To the top of each frame 18 is removably secured a horizontal table 24: the upper surface of which is in a plane with the top of the block 23, and its rear edge in contact with or substantially in contact with said block. The length of the table from the block 23 to the opposite side is equal to the similar interior dimension of the lid, and the width of said table at the edge adjacent the block 23 and for a short distance therefrom is the same as the length of said block, the remainder of the sides are or may be cut away as clearly shown at 25 in Fig. 6 for a purpose to be described later.

The block and the table 24: preferably stand at a right angle to each other and support respectively the box and the lid in an angular relationship to each other and in a convenient position for the hinge to be secured to the box, that is, with the adhesively coated hinge flaps of the lid overlying the end wall of the box.

The block 23 preferably supports the box from within, and for this purpose it has a thickness equal to the depth of the box and a length equal to the width thereof to hold said box firmly in position, the rear side of the box extending over the top of the block to the edge of the table, the front side projecting below the block which is made sufficiently narrow to permit this and furthermore, the frames 18 are turned rearwardly to provide sufficient space below for the box. The table 24 which is as long as the box lid, supports the front side thereof preferably from Within and when the lid is in place thereon with its front side againstthe front edge of the table, its rear or hinged side will just reach the rear side of the box on the block 23. The table 24 is constructed with means to facilitate the positioning'andholding of the box lid in position. For this purpose the table is made so that the innerfaces of the side walls of the lid at the rear will bear against the sides of the table which is here of full width, but at the front if the table has the cut-away portions 25 the forward corners of. the lid will be without support. This difficulty, however, is overcome by means of posts 26 each of which is adjustably mounted on a horizontal rod 27 projecting from the frame 18. The top 28 of the posts aremade square to fit the box corners and their upper surfaces are in a plane with the table 24. Bolts 29 secure the posts to the rods 27 and permit of their adjustment.

Secured to the bed-plate 15 back of the guide-way 17 is a vertical standard 30 which overhangs the table 24 and the block 23 at its upper end and is provided on said upper end with guides 31 in which travels a slide 32 on the lower end of which is mounted a presser plate 33 that is movable toward and from the block 23 and table 24, for the purpose of fastening the hinge flap to the box side.

which on being moved longitudinally throws the clutch member into and out of engagement with the driving wheel. A coiled spring 40 surrounds the shaft 34 and when unrestrained throws the clutch member into connection with the driving wheel. A worm 41 on the shaft 34 imparts motion to a worm wheel 42 on a shaft 43 above the shaft 34 and at right angles thereto. A disk 44 having a cam groove 45 in one'face and a cam block 46 fixed on said outer face is rigidly mounted on the shaft 43, as also is a second cam 47. j

The worm 41 andworm wheel 42 are covered by a casing. 48 from one side of which projects a bracket 49 carrying a pin 50 on which is mounted intermediate its ends an upright lever 51 that rocks 011 saio pin and also slides longitudinally ther of. The upper end of'the lever 51 carries a roller 52 that is engaged by the cam block 46 as it rotates to rocksaid lever on its pivot pin. The lower end of the lever 51 is connected by a stud 53 with the fork 38 so that as said lever is rocked the clutch member 36 is caused to engage and disengage the driving wheel 35.

Extending parallel with the shaft 34 is a rock shaft 54 on one end if which is a short arm 55 from the end of which projects a pin 56 that is connected to the upright lever 51. ()n the opposite end of the shaft 54 is a crank arm 57 to which is connected a roo 58 extending downwardly to a treadle, not shown. Upon depressing the treadle the rod 58 is raised and rocks the shaft 54,'the arm 55 thereon is thus caused "to swing in a direction to slide the upright lever 51 on the pin 50 and dr w the roller 52 on its upperend away from the cam block 46. The lever 51 being released by this movement the spring 40 expands and throws the clutch member 56 into engagement with the driving wheel 35, whereupon the shaft 34 is rotated and the mechanism caused to operate ina manner hereinafter described. Depending from the underside of the plate 15 is a b "acket 59 to which is pivoted one end of a lever 60, the opposite end of said lever carrying a pin 61 that travels in the cam groove 45 in the disk 44. Pivoted to the lever 60 near its outer end is a vertical rod 62 that extends through the bed plate 15 to the upper end of the standard 30 where it is pivoted to a lever 63 fulcrumed intermediate its ends at 64 on said standard 30. ()ne end of the lever is connected by a link 65 to the presser plate slide 32; the other end of the V lever is provided with a counterweight. Each rotation of the disk 44, through the cam groove therein and-the connections described, causes the presser plate 33 to move downwardly into cont-act with the block 23 and table 24 and away therefrom. To prevent undue strains when the presser plate 33 comes into contact with the block and table a spring bride 66 of any approved type is inserted in the length of the connecting rod 62, in the present instance thislbuffer is in the form of a coiled spring surrounding a reduced portion of the rod 62 that telescopes within the main portion.

The operation of the machine as thus far described is as follows: The driving pulley 35 rotates continuously and being loose on the shaft 34 runs idly. An operator new places a box a upon the block 23 and a lid 7) 011 the table 24:, a flap 0 of the covering material of the lid projecting above the side of the box a in the relative positions shown in Fig. 7. The operator then depresses the treadle to disconnect the lever 51 from the cam block 46, whereupon the spring 40 connects the clutch member 36 with the driving wheel 35 and the shaft begins to rotate, turning the worm 41 that through the worm wheel 42 rotates the shaft 43 and the cam disk 44. The cam groove 45 in the cam disk at the proper time raises the lever 60 and through the rod 62 rocks the lever 63 which lowers the presser plate 23 upon the flap 0 that overlies the. side of the box, pressing the same firmly intocontact therewith. It is to be understood that the underside of the flap 0 is covered with a moist adhesive that adheres to the side of the box. This adhesive may be applied separately but is generally placed thereon at the same time the box cover blank is coated, the flap being an extension from said cover blank. The length of the flap 0 may vary as desired, extending beyond the bottom of the box, if it is the wish to fold the same over said bottom of a length equal to the width of said side, or even shorter. If of a length equal to or shorter than the side the operation is complete upon the descent and rise of the presser plate, but if the flap projects beyond the bottom other means to be described later are provided for folding the projecting portion over the bottom and pressing it into contact therewith. The plunger having pressed the flap into contact with the box afterward rises and when it has reached its uppermost position the cam block 46 on the disk 4L7 is in position to engage the roller 42 on the lever 51 and swing the latter on its pivot pin 50 to disconnect the clutch from the driving wheel 35 and stop the rotation of the shaft 34 and the parts driven thereby. It may be well to mention here that after depressing the treadle it is held downwardly suiiiciently long to permit the cam block 4:6 to pass beyond the roller 52 whereupon the foot is removed from the treadle and the lever 51 resumes its normal position where it may be actuated by the cam block 46. j On the rear side of the presser plate 33 are two bearings 67 in each of which is hung on pivots a link 68, the lower ends of which form bearings for the journals on a roller 69. A spring 70 is connected to one of the links 68 and to the presser plate to the projecting end d of the hinged flap and fold the latter over the bottom of the box as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The spring 70 besides holding the roller in position provides suflicient pressure to cause a good adhesion of the flap to the bottom of the box.

In box lids of the type herein shown which have but three sides, there is a tendency for the unsupported sides to spring outwardly as shown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 7 which is objectionable for various reasons, To overcome the tendency of the sides to spring outward means are provided for bending the sides of each lid inward beyond the perpendicular during the operation of securing the hinged flap to the box. The means herein shown comprise two arms or levers 71 each of which is hinged upon a bracket projecting from one of the frames 18 that support the block 23 and table 24. Fastened upon the free upper end of each arm or lever 71 is a block 72 the upper surface of which is beveled as shown to form a rounded operating edge 7 3. The levers 71 stand normally in such position that their operating edges 7 3 are away from the sides 6 of the box lid and thus offer no impediment to placing the lids on the table 24. Substantially coincident with the descent of the presser plate 33 the arms 71 are swung inward and the operating edges 73 of the block 72 engage the sides 6 of the lid, and bend them inward into the cutaway portions 25 at the sides of the table 24 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The sides are held momentarily in this position and then the levers withdraw. This bending in of the sides of the lid is sufficient to cause them after the hinging operation is completed to closely hug the sides of the box when the lid is closed as in Fig. 9. For the purpose of operating the levers 71, an arm 74 extends inward from the pivot of each arm 71 and is provided with a roller 75 upon which presses the ends of a crossrod 76 centrally mounted upon a vertical stem 77 pivoted at its lower end to one end of a lever 78 fulcrumed in a bracket 79 depending from the underside of the bed-plate 15. The opposite end of the lever 78 car- 115 ries a roller 80 that bears against the cam 4.7 and is operated thereby. A spring 81 is connected to each arm 74 and to the respective frame 18 that holds the roller 80 in contact with the cam 47 and causes the 120 arm 71 to swing outward when the rod 76 uses.

The machine as constructed is adapted for use with boxes and lids of various sizes and depths, it being only necessary to re- 125 move the block 23 and table 24: by with drawing the screws S2 or other fastening means and substitute in their place a block and a table of the size desired. The upright frames 18 are adjusted to suit the block and table by turning the hand crank 83 on the shaft 19 to revolve the screws 21 and and cause'the frames 18 to slide in the guideway 17 into properposition. .The bending arms 71 being mounted on the frames 18 move therewith. The rod 76 is suiiiciently long to bear upon the rollers at all times whether the i'nmes 18 be close together or separated to the fullest extent.

The presser plate 23 and roller 69 are suiiiciently long to operate on the largest boxes that can be placed upon the machine. At any suitable point on the rod 39 is secured a collar 84-. against which an eccentric 85 is adapted to bear, which eccentric may be turned by a handle 86 to slide said rod 39 for the purpose of permanently disconnecting the clutch member 36 from the driving pulley 85 when the machine is unattended. By means of this arrangement the clutch member is locked out of engagement with the driving pulley and cannot be connected therewith through accidental or unin tentional movement of the treadle or any other part of the machine.

Fig. 10 shows a modification of a hinge strip 0 wherein a strip of paper or textile material f is placed upon the cover blank before it is applied to the lid in such posi tion that a portion will project beyond the hinge edge of said lid, and overlie the flap 0 for the purpose of strengthening the hinge.

l/Vhat I claim as new is,

1. In a machine for hinging lids 011 boxes, means for supporting a box and a box lid in angular relationship one to the other, the said lid having an adhesively coated hinge flap projecting from one side thereof and overlying a. wall of the box, and means for pressing said overlying portion of the flap into adhesive contact with the said box wall.

2. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box and a. box lid having an adhesively coated hingeflap overlying a side of said box, and means for pressing said flap against said side and the bottom of the box.

Ina machine for hinging lids on boxes, means, for supporting a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated hinge flap overlying a side of said box, means for pressing said flap against said side, and means for folding a projecting portion of said flap against the bottom of the box.

4. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated hinge-flap overlying a side of said box, means for pressing said flap against said side, and yielding means for folding a projecting portion of said .flap against the bottom of the box.

5. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated hinge-flap overlying a side of said box, means for pressing said flap against said side, and yielding means mounted on the pressing means for folding a projecting portion of said flap against the bottom of the box.

6. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting at right angles to each other and fromwithin a box and a box lid one of said box part-s having an adhesively coated projecting flap overlying a side of the other of said box parts, and meansfor pressing saidflap into adhesive contact with the box part over which it lies.

7. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, adjustable means for supporting a box and a box lid both from within said lid having an adhesivel coatedhinge-fiap projecting from one side above a side of the box, and means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with the box.-

8.. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting av box and a boxlid having an adhesively coatedhinge-flap projecting from oneside over a side and beyond the bottom of a box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with the box, and means for folding and securing the end of the flap on the bottom of the box.

9. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, inea s for supporting at right angles to each other a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated projecting hinge-flap overlying a side of said box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with the box, and means carried by the pressing means for folding and securing the end of the flap on the bottom of the box. v

10. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting at right angles to each other a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated projecting hinge-fiap overlying a side of said box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact With the box, and resiliently supported means carried by the pressing means for folding and securing the endof the flap to the bottom of the box.

11. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated hinge-flap projecting from one side over a side and be yond the bottom of the box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with the side of the box, and a roller carried by said pressing means for folding and securing the end of the flap on the bottom of the box.

12. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box anda box lid having an adhesively coated hinge-flap projecting from one side over a side and beyond the bottom of the box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with LOO the box, and a resiliently supported roller 7 1,1ee,o 16

13. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box lid from within, and means for bending inward the sides of the lid while on said support.

141. In a. machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box lid from within, and means for simultaneously bending inward opposite sides of the lid while on said supporting means.

15. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated box flap projecting from one side above the side of the box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with the box, and means for counteracting the outward flare of the box lid sides.

16. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for hinging a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated hinge-flap projecting from one side above a. side of the box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with the box, and means for bending the sides of the box lid inward.

17. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, means for supporting a box and a box lid having an adhesively coated hingefiap projecting from one side above a side of the box, means for pressing said flap into adhesive contact with the box, and means acting coinoidently with the pressing means for bending the sides of the box inward.

18. A machine for hinging lids on boxes, comprising means for supporting a. box and a lid at right angles to each other, means for securing a hinge flap'projeoting from each lid to a box while on the supporting means and means for simultaneously bending inward opposite sides of the lid coincident with the hingesecuring operation.

19. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a support for a box, a support for a box lid at right angles to the box support, a presser plate adapted to move to and from said support, and means for automatically stopping the to-and-fro movement of the presser plate after each operation thereof.

20. A machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames adjustable to and from each other, a. box support having two dimensions equal to two interior dimensions of the box to be supported thereon, a box lid support also secured to said upright frames at right angles to the box support and having a length and breadth equal to the length and breadth of the interior of the box lid to be hinged to the box, and means for bending inward the sides of a box lid carried by said support.

21. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames movable to and from each other, a box support and a box lid support carried by said frames at right angles to each other for holding a box and a box lid to be hinged thereon in proper relation, means for pressing a hinge-flap on the box lid into close contact with the box, and means for bending inward the sides of the box lid.

In a. machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames adapted to move to and from each other, a box support and box lid support remo-vably attached to said frames at right angles to each other, a presser plate movable to and from said supports, and a pair of swinging arms adapted to move toward opposite sides of the box lid support for bending in the sides of the box lid.

23. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames movable to and from each other, a box support and a box lid support carried by said frames at right angles to each other, the sides of said box support being cut-away, and a pair of swinging arms adapted to move toward said box lid support to bend inwardly the sides of the box lid.

24. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames, a box support and a box lid support carried by said frames at right angles to each other, presser plate movable to and from said supports for pressing the hinge-flap on the lid into contact with the box, and a roller carried by said support for turning the projecting end of said flap over the bottom of the box.

25. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, :1 pair of upright frames, a box support and a box lid support carried. by said frames at right angles to each other, a pivoted arm carried by each of said frames adapted to swing toward opposite sides of the box lid, a presser plate movable to and from said supports and a resiliently supported roller carried by the presser plate.

26. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames movable to and from each other, means for moving said frames, a box support and a box lid support movably connected to said frames at right angles to each other, and a presser plate movable to and from said supports for pressing a hinge-flap on the lid into contact with a wall of the box 27. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames movable to and from each other, means for moving said frames, a box support and a box lid support removably connected to said frames at right angles to each other, apresser plate movable to and from said supports, a swinging arm hinged on each frame and movable toward the sides of the box lid support for bending the sides of the box lid, and means for operating said swinging arms.

28. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a pair of upright frames movable to and from each other, means for simultaneou'sly moving said frames, a box support and a box lid support removably connected to said frames at right angles to each other, a presser plate movable to and from said supports, a swinging arm hinged on each of said frames, a block connected to the free end of each ai-m ada irted to-be carried by said arms toward the box lid support to bend inwardly the sides of the box lid, and means for swinging said arms.

, 29. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a box support and a box lid support arranged to hold the box parts at right angles to each other, a presser plate movable to and from said supports, means for operating said presser plate, a continuously running driving means, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting said driving means to the p resser plate operating means, and a trip device for disengaging said clutch member.

30. In a machine for hinging lids on boxes, a box support and a box lid support at right angles to each other, a presser plate movable to and from said supports, means for operating said presser plate, a continuously running driving means, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting said dri 'ing means to the presser plate operating means, a tripping device for disengaging said clutch, and means for locking said tripping device to prevent the engagement of the clutch With the driving mechanism.

31. A machine for attaching a hinged lid having side Walls and an adhesively coated projecting flap to a box, comprising means for supporting and for engaging a Wall of the box, means .t'or supporting the box lid and for engaging the inner faces of the side Walls of the lid with the projecting flap of the lid overlying the said Wall of the box, and means for pressing said overlying flap into adhesive contact With the said box Wall.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LENA ELFMAN.

( iopies 5r this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of 'Patents, Washington, D. G. 

